10 Ways to Improve a Deer Hunting Property

One of the most common ways to grow more giant deer on a property is to follow or utilize some QDMA guidelines. While I agree with about 95% of the more common QDMA (Quality Deer Management Association) guidelines, I also have a few that I’ve found to be especially helpful for growing bigger deer.

Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to help customers improve the deer herd on various tracts of land and manage my own leased properties. So, let’s talk about the ten suggestions I’ve found to be the most effective for growing bigger deer on a property.

Disclaimer About Leased Property

Before I get too far along in this post, I want to provide a disclaimer or warning about a few of these suggestions concerning a leased property. Before you start implementing these suggestions on leased property, I’d strongly suggest you check the terms of your lease to ensure that these activities are allowed.

Some leases or hunt clubs have stringent regulations about food plots, any non-food plot planting on the property, controlled burns, etc. As such, it’s imperative that you don’t take any action that puts your pending lease at risk. For example, I’ve never seen a lease that would allow a controlled burn, so that suggestion will most likely only be available for land you own.

Expected Time Frame of These Suggestions

Almost anytime I have these “how to improve a deer hunting property” conversations at my day job, one of the first questions I hear is, “how long are these improvements going to take before I see results?

Most of the suggestions below are actions that will take a few seasons to show results. Most all QDMA deer management is geared towards the long haul as it takes time to grow larger, more healthy deer.

Some of the suggestions will potentially show results in one to two seasons after implementation, while other improvements may take years to deliver results.

Having realistic expectations of the improvement process is essential, so you don’t lose faith and abandon the plan after one season.

10 different Approaches to Enhance a Deer Hunting Property

Here are ten different land improvements for hunting land that has moved the needle for me and resulted in larger bucks:

#1 – Add Food Plots or do Foot Plot Diversification

Chances are, if you’re reading this post, you already know what a food plot is, but, just in case: a food plot is a man-made area planted with a specific crop for animals to use for feeding. A deer food plot aims to offer a supplemental food source for deer during times when natural food sources are less available.

Food plots are utilized in several different ways:

• Food or Nutrition only plot – This type of plot is grown as a food source and is not hunted.
• Hunting plot – A hunting plot is planted to draw deer, and its primary focus is on hunting deer.
• Combination plot – This type of food plot serves as a food source and hunting location.

If you already have a food plot or plots established on a tract of land, consider adding more plots featuring new or different food sources. The idea here is to offer more diversified food sources so the deer can feed on your plots throughout the fall and winter.

For example, if you already have two food plots on your land with a crop of corn and winter wheat, consider adding a third plot planted with a Brassica-based crop.

I firmly believe that a more diverse food offering results in healthier deer in the long run.

#2 – Conduct a Controlled Burn

A controlled burn is an intentionally set fire designed to burn the ground cover of a specific area. The idea behind a controlled burn is to burn off ground cover (dead leaves, fallen trees, dead logs, etc.) to make it easier for new growth to emerge. Controlled burns are designed to be done in small areas under very specific conditions.

A properly executed controlled burn can do wonders for a section of property that is barren or has little natural growth. However, controlled burns come with a substantial amount of risk as they can easily get out of hand and cause millions in damage.

Having participated in controlled burns before, I’d consider them a high-risk/high-reward type of activity that takes at least two years to show tangible results.

If you’re considering a controlled burn for your whitetail property, I’d suggest the following:

• Make sure that you have any necessary permits in place before the burn.
• Put the local fire department on stand-by for the burn.
• Only consider a burn during ideal conditions. I always tried to schedule mine about 12-24 hours before a good, solid rain.
• Only target a small burn area
• Dig trenches around the burn area to contain the fire.
• Move with the burn as it progresses, and steer it away from trees that you want to keep.

Your local fire department or agricultural office can be an excellent resource on controlled burns and how to conduct one.

#3 – Add Mineral or Supplemental Blocks

Just like humans, deer require certain minerals, salts, and vitamins in their diet for optimum health. Typically, they acquire these compounds as part of their natural diet. However, when their natural food sources become scarce, they can become deficient in these compounds. And that’s where a mineral block or salt block comes into play.

A mineral block or salt block is an artificial block of minerals, vitamins, or supplements placed for deer. They usually are offered in a block format (hence the “block” name) and perform best when partially buried in the ground at strategic locations for deer. Then, the deer lick the block to access the minerals.

Since minerals and vitamins play a direct role in antler development and overall deer health, adding a few mineral blocks to a property is a cost-effective improvement where results can be seen as soon as two seasons.

#4 – Plant Trees and Shrubs for Added Food Diversity

With this suggestion, we are targeting specific types of trees, shrubs, and bushes on a whitetail deer’s menu as another avenue of food diversity.

The trees that I like to plant include:

• Apple trees
• Pecan trees
• Persimmon trees
• Wild Plum trees

The bushes I typically plant include:

• Honeysuckle
• Muscadines
• Blackberries
• Raspberries

With this approach, you can either buy an existing juvenile of the specific tree species and then pay someone to transport and plant it, or you can do it the old fashion way and plant the yearlings or seeds yourself.

I prefer the second option as it’s significantly less expensive but takes the longest to show results. The trees take longer to grow and bear fruit, while the shrubs and berries can start showing berries after two to three seasons.

It’s important to understand that most of the plant and tree species on this list may not make it to maturity. However, if they do, they can become a self-renewing source of deer food for years to come.

Years ago, I was permitted to plant several fruit trees on a tract I was leasing. So I planted several apple trees in one corner of the property and left them alone. It took about three years, but they grew pretty well, and almost half of the trees made it to maturity. Now, they produce a healthy crop of apples annually for the deer and other animal species.

#5 – Manage the Buck to Doe Ratio

The buck to doe ratio plays a huge role in the overall health of the local deer herd. QDMA recommends a ratio range of 1:1 to 1:3, which means one doe for each buck or a maximum of three does for each buck.

The ideal way to manage that ratio is to perform a census during the antler season (when the bucks are easy to identify), then cull the does accordingly.

I’ve found one of the easiest ways to reduce the doe population is to sponsor or allow kid-only hunts where only does can be harvested. It offers kids or teenagers a chance to hunt deer and helps you by reducing the doe population.

Some states will also allow does to be culled out of season with special permits, as long as the meat is donated to a homeless shelter or an organization like Hunters Feeding The Hungry.

Another way to impact the buck to doe ratio is utilizing antler size or age requirements for bucks to be harvested.

#6 – Let Your Bucks Grow

One of the single most significant steps a hunter can take to improve their deer population is to let the bucks on a property grow and mature. With Whitetail deer, one year can significantly affect antler size. The difference between a 1.5 year old buck and a 2.5 year old buck is noticeable. However, the difference between a 1.5 year old and a 3.5 year old can be dramatic.

As a kid, my grandfather told me he tried to shoot all the “small fork horn” deer so the “big deer” could keep growing. Now we know that some of those old-school deer hunting beliefs were just wrong from a biological standpoint. Intentionally shooting a fork horn or small 4-pointer is potentially harvesting a future 6 or 8-pointer.

There are two standard methods in QDMA to let bucks continue to grow, and both involve using antler size restrictions for harvesting a buck. Those restrictions include:

Restriction based on antler size or number of points

With this approach, a buck should not be taken unless he meets the minimum antler width size or a minimum number of points. So, for example, a buck should not be harvested unless its antlers are as wide as its ears, or it has to be a minimum of 6 points. But, of course, those just example restrictions, and you can always impose more aggressive restrictions if you want to see more immediate results.

Restrictions based on the age of the deer

This restriction uses the estimated age of the deer as being eligible to harvest. For example, some hunting clubs have rules that no buck under four years of age can be taken. The downside of this approach is the difficulty with aging bucks in the field.

Between the two methods, I much prefer the required number of antler points as that number is far easier to evaluate and less open to speculation than the age of a buck.

However, neither approach is foolproof as you could have an exceptional 2.5-year-old 6-pointer who meets the minimum point requirement for harvesting but will be a future monster if allowed to continue maturing.

#7 – Add Deer Bedding Areas

This suggestion involves taking steps to increase the cover options on your property. Does and bucks need a certain amount of cover to rest and bed. If your land doesn’t have enough cover, the does will travel to an area that has enough cover to make them feel safe.

To improve your property, consider taking steps to provide additional bedding cover. Most does prefer to bed near a food source, so try to offer some cover near a food source. Here are a few suggestions to create some cover for deer:

Plant Evergreen Conifers like White Pine or White Spruce

I prefer to plant these in patches of 4 to 5 or plant a few 15 to 20 feet off a field edge. These evergreens will grow quickly and become thick, especially at ground level. They can be an excellent bedding area for does. And, come rut, where you have does, you’ll have bucks.

Hinge-Cutting small trees

Hinge cutting has become all the rage over the last few years as a means to provide cover for bedding deer. Hinge cutting is a technique where the trunk of a small tree (say 6 to 8 inches) is partially cut with a saw. The tree is then pushed over to its lying on the ground.

Since the trunk hasn’t been completely severed, a portion of the tree will continue to live for several years, and its branches will continue to germinate and flower. The deer can feed on the tips of the branches when they first bud, and the partially down tree also offers a form of side cover for the deer.

I generally hinge-cut in small groups to create a pocket of cover near a food source. However, I wouldn’t suggest trying to hinge-cut any tree with a trunk larger than 8 inches, as it can get dangerous.

Perennial Grasses

I like planting perennial grasses as they come up quickly and can grow several feet high. While they don’t offer any food value for whitetails, they provide an excellent mid-height form of cover once they have matured.

My favorite perennial grasses are:

• Switchgrass (my favorite)
• Prairie Cordgrass
• Plumegrass

#8 – Use Trail Cameras to Monitor Herd Health

Most hunters use trail cameras or game cameras to see the number of deer on a property and to identify bucks that are mature enough to harvest. I get that approach and do the exact same thing.

However, you can also use trail camera information to monitor the deer year round and keep up with their overall health.

In addition to having game cameras on food plots and feeders, I also have cameras set up on known deer trails all over the land I lease. The camera images are sent to my phone, and I use that data to estimate the number of deer on my land, as well as what trails are being used the most.

Once you start seeing the same deer over and over, you can begin to see minor identifying marks that will help you identify them in the future. I keep notes with an estimate of the current population on my lease, including the doe-to-buck ratio.

You can also use cameras to identify deer that appear sick, diseased, or injured. Then, you may be able to use that data to legally cull them from the herd (under specific circumstances).

For example, a few years back, during the summer, I started seeing trail cam pics of at least two deer that were obviously sick as they appeared to be struggling to walk, laying down on the trail, unsteady on their feet, etc. I contacted my local conservation officer and showed him the pics. He thought it might be EHD, and I was able to get a special permit to harvest those deer for EHD testing. I was able to locate the two in question and put both down. Unfortunately, both subsequently tested positive for EHD. So, keeping tabs on the herd year around can be beneficial.

#9 – Deploy Deer Feeders in the Winter for Controlled Supplemental Feeding

I’m not going to get into the whole pro and con debate about using deer feeders here, although I might write something in the future.

The idea behind this suggestion is to use deer feeders to offer another food source during the winter. Typically, the winter and post-rut periods are when bucks need nutrients the most but may struggle to find natural food sources.

A deer feeder or feeders can offer a secondary food source for both does and bucks during those hard times. Most hunters use deer corn as a feeder food source, but other food source options will also work in a feeder.

If you are on the proverbial fence about this approach, consider deploying a single feeder and monitoring the results with a game camera.

#10 – Recognize and Leave Natural Food Sources Alone (if possible)

One of the biggest mistakes I see hunters and landowners make on hunting property involves harvesting the timber or doing select cut timber harvesting.

If the trees being harvested are hardwoods, you may inadvertently be removing or reducing the mast crop, which can be a significant Whitetail food source.

If mast (which are the natural nuts like acorns) are a primary food source for the deer in your area, harvesting the lumber may adversely impact the herd.

To be clear, I’m not saying you shouldn’t harvest the timber, but I am saying that you might want to consider a plan to replace the mast crop with another food source that will be readily available under the same time frame as the mast crop.

One option would be to add one or two more food plots with a crop that performs well in the fall and winter.

Another potential option would be to timber with a select cut process which should leave at least 50% of the hardwood trees producing mast.

Which Improvements Offer the Fastest Results?

Of the ten property improvements that I’ve discussed above, the two that seem to provide the fastest noticeable results for me have been a combination of the following:

• #5 – Manage the Buck to Doe Ratio
• #6 – Let your Bucks Grow

Combining these two suggestions, you should start seeing bigger deer within two years.

FAQS

Here are some commonly asked questions that I see regarding methods to grow trophy whitetail deer:

How many deer is optimal per acre for a healthy deer herd?

Honestly, I don’t believe there’s a universal answer to that question because herd health primarily depends on the habitat. And, since not all habitat is equal in quality, the ideal number of deer per acre can vary wildly depending on the geography.

Here’s a real example to help explain: One of the other writers for this site, Andy McKinney, is from North Carolina, and I’ve had the chance to hunt in NC with him several times. He primarily hunts in the SE section of the state, which seems to have a more extended gun season than the western portion of the state.

According to Andy, the western portion of NC is predominately mountains and doesn’t have the habitat and food sources to support the same number of whitetails as the state’s eastern portion. Therefore, the difference in the habitat directly impacts the number of deer per acre between the two geographical areas.

Here’s another example: I was born and raised in Indiana. When Andy and I talk deer, there are obvious differences in the number and size between his deer in NC and the deer I see in Indiana. When I first started traveling to NC to bow hunt with him, I was surprised at the smaller number of deer I saw, and how small the deer looked compared to what I was used to seeing in Indiana. I’ve got a German Shepherd that weighs more than some of the adult does I saw in NC, whereas the does in Indiana are much larger.

Differences like these make it impossible to assign even a rough number to the optimal number of deer per acre.

Instead, I’d suggest talking to a deer biologist or wildlife biologist from the state where you hunt. Those folks will have a much better idea of the average number of deer commonly seen per acre in your area.

How do I make my deer land better?

Any of the ten suggestions provided above are steps in the right direction to improve the land for your deer population.

The quality of the habitat and available year-round food sources play a significant role in the health of a deer herd.

The two steps that will make the most significant improvements in the quality of the deer on any land are:

• Control the doe-to-buck ratio and keep it under a one buck to three doe ratio
• Don’t shoot any buck under three years of age or one that has antlers smaller than 6 points

Assuming that you can keep the deer on your land, these two steps will provide excellent results in the shortest amount of time.